Pages

Friday, February 17, 2012

Cheesemonger Ezekial Ferguson working with a customer at Di Bruno Bros.

This week, I’m thinking about a
question from a reader named Mia. She wants to live the golden dream -- to work in the cheese world as
either a maker or a monger. She wrote to me asking how to gain experience.
When I put the question out on Twitter recently, several cheesemongers fired right back: "Tell her to get a job at a cheese counter!"

For Mia and others who are sniffing along the dairy periphery, below are some useful resources. I should note that Mia has already explored some of these books and opportunities.
She’s clearly a woman ahead of her time. I hope to meet her soon -- hopefully, over a stack of wheels.

Steven Jenkins, the man who launched Dean &
DeLuca's cheese program, surveys European cheese and offers the expertise of an importer. His primer feels a little out of date now, but I still see dog-eared copies behind every cheese counter. His regional maps are essential to understanding terroir.

Artisanal's Max McCalman approaches cheese
as a master taster. His book on the subject includes fascinating insights
into animal husbandry, chemistry, and pairing principles. Best of all, he assigns specific cheese boards as homework so you can learn about milk types and aging periods in a very hands-on way.

Liz Thorpe, of Murray’s, taught
the staff at The French Laundry how to serve cheese. Her book focuses on the cheese renaissance in America and highlights pioneering cheesemakers from California to Maine. She offers keen personal insights, and her "Cheddar Lexicon" is brilliant.

Fletcher writes about one cheese
per week in The San Francisco Chronicle. Each column offers a glimpse into a new import or recent release. Read her for a year and look for the cheeses she recommends; her discoveries and pairing suggestions are spot on.

Worthwhile Pursuits

Make friends with a local cheesemonger.

Find a mentor in your community.
Visit a local cheese shop regularly and ask to taste the cheeses that
you read about. People who work in cheese generally love to share knowledge.

This is the equivalent of the
Cheese Oscars, a show that everyone in the scene attends -- from cheesemakers
to cheese retailers. Go! You’ll eat mountains of cheese and meet makers from
all over the world. You can volunteer to offset the expense of the ACS Conference. The ACS recently developed a Cheesemonger Certification Exam, but you need documentable cheese experience to take it.

Apply for a job at a cheese counter

As long as you’re curious and
willing to learn, you have the basic credentials to work at a cheese counter.
Apply for a position and see where it takes you. Good Food Jobs is a useful resource for anyone searching for openings.

A new program for cheese professionals has been established at Mons Fromagerie in France, in english: the Academie Opus Caseus (www.academie-mons.com)offers Essential Foundations for Cheese Professionals. Perfect for passionate cheese professionals preparing for career advancement, new responsibilities, taking the ACS Exam or competing in the Larkin Cheesemonger Invitational, or looking to serve as judge in competitions.